Welcome to DIP 600, National Security.The goal of this course is to provide
students with a foundation in the major debates on national security
policy.In the first third of the course
we will study some of the great works on national security, as well as
commentaries on those works.The second
third of the course focuses on contemporary policy debates in the United States
on grand strategy and national security.The final third examines the policy process and focuses on specific
national security problems facing the United States.

Format

Discussion will take up the bulk of class time.I expect everyone to attend, have studied the
readings, and have a familiarity with current events.Any major reputable newspaper will suffice
for the latter, although I prefer the New York Times.

Grading

Grading will be based on class participation (20%),
class blog participation (10%), three 4-6 page memos (15% each), and one final
examination (25%).

Each student is required to post at least once to the
class blog, nationalsecuritypolicy.blogspot.com,
in each of five weeks during the course of the semester.The idea of the blog is to promote serious
discussions of the readings and of current events tied to national security. I
will monitor blog postings and assign a grade based on quantity and quality of
participation. Postings should integrate specific material from class readings
and extend class debates.

Each of the three 4-6 page memos must be typed and
double-spaced.Please do not exceed the
page limit.The point of the assignment
is to present information in a cogent and concise manner.The topic is up to you, but ideally will
concern the convergence of a current event or situation with assigned reading
from the class day in question.Memos
are due at the beginning of class on the day of the relevant reading.You will be expected to turn in one memo
during each third of the course.Thus,
the last day for turning in your first memo is September 24, and the first day
for turning in your last memo is November 5.The memos will be evaluated on both content and presentation.Information must be accurate, arguments must
be well thought out, and style must be compelling.

You will be required to make an oral presentation and
defense of one of your three memos during class.Note that this means you will have to write
and turn in a memo on the day of your defense.The strength of your presentation and defense will contribute to your
participation grade.You must indicate
to me a preference for which week to present by the second week of the course
so that I can stagger the presentations.The presentation should last about fifteen minutes, and will be followed
by a fifteen minute question and answer period.The presentation will make up 50% of your participation grade, or 10% of
the total grade.

A comprehensive final exam will be held on Tuesday,
December 16 at 8am.The exam will be
communicated and completed electronically; thus, there is no need for you to be
in Lexington on
that date.The exam will mimic in
structure a minor field comprehensive exam.

The rest of the class readings are either available
online or can be found in Patterson 469.Note that many of the online readings are available on JSTOR or other
secure databases.Access to these
databases requires either a University computer or a properly configured
connection.